Album Review: Cognizance – In Light, No Shape (Willowtip Records)

UK progressive metal band, Cognizance are back with a brand-new album, ‘In Light, No Shape’, out May 1st on Willowtip Records. The record sees founding guitarist Alex Baillie stepping forward as vocalist while retaining guitar duties, following the 2023 departure of founding vocalist Henry “Big Mac” Pryce.

Considering the vocal shift, it’s no surprise that Cognizance have had to adapt and with that, their sound has evolved. Sounding rawer and more urgent than ever, it’s still recognisably them and filled with creative progressive death metal intensity, but there’s a more notable serrated edge.

I dig it, but I’ve always found the garish layered heaviness that this band offers appealing, and the ten tracks on offer here do not disappoint. Cognizance have lost none of their fire, and one of the more likable aspects of this new album is their tight focus on delivering pure punchy heaviness that comes with deeper expressive progressive ideas. Combining a wealth of talent with creative ideas, resulting in a progressive death metal album of the year contender.

Alex kills it on vocals, but it certainly helps that the guitar work is savage and the drumming is beastly. The sound of extreme but not following the well-trodden path of extreme technicality. It’s clever and complex, that’s for sure, but I think it has more accessible parts and daring anthemic touches. You won’t be dancing to anything here, but you might find your foot tapping in places.

Though the weight of nihilistic heaviness, the wickedness of death metal, and the thick vein of darkness that runs through the entire album certainly suggest otherwise. Personally, that’s the sort of stuff I find appealing.

Cognizance had to come out and show that change, especially a significant change, can deliver results that will both please the core fanbase and, potentially, draw in a whole new group too. The decision to take a less refined approach works, especially as it doesn’t detract from the progressive aspects that Cognizance are so good at developing. It’s an excellent album that feels forward thinking, showing just how Cognizance is looking to the future.

Cognizance – In Light, No Shape Track Listing:

1. Transient Fixations
2. Inflection Chants
3. A Game of Proliferation
4. Chasm
5. Vertical Illusion
6. A Reconfiguration
7. Witness Marks
8. Subterranean Incantation
9. Induced Contortions
10. The Zone

Links

Bandcamp | Big Cartel | Facebook | Instagram